News: February 2004

Fears are increasing about the possible impact of the disease 'Sudden Oak Death', which can affect a range of trees and shrubs, after a new resistant strain has been found in Cornwall.

Sudden Oak Death, a disease caused by the fungus Phytophthora ramorum, has already taken a terrible toll on woodlands in the USA. To date it has been detected in several locations in the UK, chiefly in the south, including the RHS gardens at Wisley and the Lost Gardens of Heligan. The disease affects several species of trees and shrubs including oaks, beech, sweet chestnut and horse chestnut.

The new strain is thought to be untreatable. It is feared that if it gets hold, the damage done by this disease could far outweigh that done by Dutch Elm disease in the 1970s.

Mark Townsend. 2004. Silent killer stalks our wooldlands. Viewed on the web at http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1143471,00.html on February 8th 2004.